Business

Shopping made easy at Metropolitan CityMarket

January 13, 2012 Denise Romano

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At Metropolitan CityMarket, shopping is really super.

Bay Ridge’s newest grocery store opened its doors last month andis already offering services that can’t be found in many otherplaces. One of them is the shuttle shopping service, which can beused by senior citizens or anyone else.

You come in and shop, and we will drive you and your grocerieshome, explained part-owner Al Hamdan, who runs the store with hisbrothers. It’s for normal shopping trips, not for just a loaf ofbread.

Hamdan said his brother got the idea when he was in Arizona. Asupermarket there had mini-buses that picked customers up at theirhomes, brought them shopping and drove them home.

I kept seeing lots of people get off of the train [at 95Street], going down to Foodtown, then walking up the block past usagain, Hamdan said. I thought, Why not try this out?”

As of now, Hamdan offers two mini-vans, but said he will expandthe operation if it works out.

If unable to get to the store physically, customers can phone intheir order, employees will do the shopping for them, and someonewill deliver it to their home. Free basic home delivery service isalso available.

We really try to take care of our seniors with kid gloves,Hamdan said. Sometimes they come in with aides and we hold thebasket or shopping carts for them [so the aide can focus on helpingthe senior]. Customer service is out most important thing; no oneleaves without being spoken to.

Metropolitan CityMarket tries to keep its prices as low aspossible and is broadening its selection every day, Hamdanadded.

We are trying to cater to our customers, so they can enjoytheir shopping experience, Hamdan said. We are taking allsuggestions. If someone says they are looking for a certain brand,I go on the Internet and try and find it for them.

Hamdan said he has received a lot of requests for vegetarianproducts. We have a whole new company coming in that carries justvegetarian things, plus new lines of organic, cage-free andgluten-free products, he said. I wish I had a bigger place to putmore in.